At just 16, Molly McLeod  is already an inspiring voice for young people navigating mental health, education, and finding their own path.

“I am pretty passionate about mental health and speaking up when you’re being treated poorly,” says Molly. “Helping other people feel less alone through sharing my story.”

Her journey with The Bridge Youth Service began when her school referred her to the Navigator Program. At the time, Molly was struggling to attend school and feeling like no-one was really listening. But then she met her Specialist Youth Worker, Sarah.

“Sarah made me feel like I wasn’t crazy and what I was feeling was valid,” she says.

That support became crucial when Molly received her diagnosis for BPD.

“I was really scared and really confused because I didn’t know what it was. And Sarah really helped me understand it and talked me through it.”

Molly ultimately made the difficult decision to leave school — a decision that came after months of conversations and reflection.

“It was very hard because it had been ingrained in my brain since I was like… five, yeah, that you finished school,” Molly says. “I come from a family of teachers and had a very old-style principal in primary school who was very, ‘you have to finish Year 12′.”

Sarah adds, “We spent like three months just going through accepting that we don’t have to finish school as well.”

Lyndall, Molly’s mum, remembers how important that outside support was. “(It) was tremendous from a parent’s point of view because sometimes even when we were talking about it, you know, it’s a different connection. You (Sarah) came in and you had all these wonderful ideas and that helped, too.”

With Sarah’s encouragement and a close friend’s push, Molly launched her baking business, Daisy Chain Baking Co.

“I decided to start it last year because I needed another reason to just keep going and to have something to look forward to and work towards.”

Now, she’s using her experience — from mental health struggles to small business ownership — to help others feel seen.

“I hope to make other people feel heard and that what they’re going through happens to other people and that it’s not normal, but it’s not un-normal.”

One of the biggest challenges Molly and her family faced was accessing support in their rural area.

“The accessibility around mental health in rural areas is not very good,” Lyndall said.

Molly adds, “I wasn’t seeing anyone up until I started seeing you (Sarah)… the accessibility to get some help in a timely manner was such an issue… I saw my doctor… four or five times before she actually made a referral… she was like, you’re probably just low on iron. I was, but that’s not the point — something else was going on.”

Since being connected to the right supports, Molly’s life has changed dramatically.